God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of (A)Asaph.

50 (B)The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    (C)from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, (D)the perfection of beauty,
    (E)God shines forth.

Our God comes; he (F)does not keep silence;[a]
    before him is a devouring (G)fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
(H)He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made (I)a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
(J)The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for (K)God himself is judge! Selah

(L)“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    (M)I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices (N)do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 (O)I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    (P)for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 (Q)Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[b]
    and (R)perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and (S)call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will (T)deliver you, and you shall (U)glorify me.”

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 (V)For you hate discipline,
    (W)and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, (X)you are pleased with him,
    (Y)and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    (Z)and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I (AA)have been silent;
    you thought that I[c] was one like yourself.
But now I (AB)rebuke you and (AC)lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who (AD)forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be (AE)none to deliver!
23 The one who (AF)offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who (AG)orders his way rightly
    I will show the (AH)salvation of God!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:3 Or May our God come, and not keep silence
  2. Psalm 50:14 Or Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God
  3. Psalm 50:21 Or that the I am

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(A)
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(B)
From Zion,(C) perfect in beauty,(D)
    God shines forth.(E)
Our God comes(F)
    and will not be silent;(G)
a fire devours(H) before him,(I)
    and around him a tempest(J) rages.
He summons the heavens above,
    and the earth,(K) that he may judge his people:(L)
“Gather to me this consecrated people,(M)
    who made a covenant(N) with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim(O) his righteousness,
    for he is a God of justice.[a][b](P)

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify(Q) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.(R)
I bring no charges(S) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,(T) which are ever before me.
I have no need of a bull(U) from your stall
    or of goats(V) from your pens,(W)
10 for every animal of the forest(X) is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.(Y)
11 I know every bird(Z) in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields(AA) are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world(AB) is mine, and all that is in it.(AC)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

14 “Sacrifice thank offerings(AD) to God,
    fulfill your vows(AE) to the Most High,(AF)
15 and call(AG) on me in the day of trouble;(AH)
    I will deliver(AI) you, and you will honor(AJ) me.”

16 But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant(AK) on your lips?(AL)
17 You hate(AM) my instruction
    and cast my words behind(AN) you.
18 When you see a thief, you join(AO) with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.(AP)
19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.(AQ)
20 You sit and testify against your brother(AR)
    and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,(AS)
    you thought I was exactly[c] like you.
But I now arraign(AT) you
    and set my accusations(AU) before you.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God,(AV)
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:(AW)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless[d] I will show my salvation.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge
  2. Psalm 50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  3. Psalm 50:21 Or thought the ‘I am’ was
  4. Psalm 50:23 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; the meaning of the Masoretic Text for this phrase is uncertain.

Abraham and Abimelech

20 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between (A)Kadesh and Shur; and he (B)sojourned in (C)Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, (D)“She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. (E)But God came to Abimelech (F)in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, (G)“Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning (H)against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. Now then, return the man's wife, (I)for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you (J)and all who are yours.”

So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, (K)‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and (L)they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, (M)she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 And when (N)God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, (O)say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 Then Abimelech (P)took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, (Q)my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given (R)your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is (S)a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all[a] who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” 17 Then (T)Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the Lord (U)had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 20:16 Hebrew It is a covering of eyes for all

Abraham and Abimelek(A)

20 Now Abraham moved on from there(B) into the region of the Negev(C) and lived between Kadesh(D) and Shur.(E) For a while(F) he stayed in Gerar,(G) and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.(H)” Then Abimelek(I) king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.(J)

But God came to Abimelek(K) in a dream(L) one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead(M) because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”(N)

Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?(O) Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,(P)’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience(Q) and clean hands.(R)

Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept(S) you from sinning against me.(T) That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet,(U) and he will pray for you(V) and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”(W)

Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.(X) 10 And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”

11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God(Y) in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’(Z) 12 Besides, she really is my sister,(AA) the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander(AB) from my father’s household,(AC) I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 Then Abimelek(AD) brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham,(AE) and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”(AF)

16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels[a] of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”

17 Then Abraham prayed to God,(AG) and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, 18 for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 20:16 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms

I Am the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (A)A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus (B)used with them, but they (C)did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (D)I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, (E)he will be saved and will go in and out and (F)find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and (G)kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 (H)I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd (I)lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is (J)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (K)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and (L)scatters them. 13 He flees because (M)he is a hired hand and (N)cares nothing for the sheep. 14 (O)I am the good shepherd. (P)I know my own and (Q)my own know me, 15 (R)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and (S)I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And (T)I have other sheep that are not of this fold. (U)I must bring them also, and (V)they will listen to my voice. So there will be (W)one flock, (X)one shepherd. 17 (Y)For this reason the Father loves me, (Z)because (AA)I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 (AB)No one takes it from me, but (AC)I lay it down (AD)of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and (AE)I have authority to take it up again. (AF)This charge I have received from my Father.”

19 (AG)There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, (AH)“He has a demon, and (AI)is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. (AJ)Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

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The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(A) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(D) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(E) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(G)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(H) the gate(I) for the sheep. All who have come before me(J) are thieves and robbers,(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(L) and have it to the full.(M)

11 “I am(N) the good shepherd.(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(P) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(R) I know my sheep(S) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(U) 16 I have other sheep(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(W) and one shepherd.(X) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(Y)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(AA)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(AB) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(AC) and raving mad.(AD) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(AF)

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Footnotes

  1. John 10:9 Or kept safe